April 2010

EastEnders rapped for showing businesswoman’s mobile number

Woman received nearly 3,000 text messages, some of them obscene, when number appeared on Ricky Butcher’s phone

A woman who received nearly 3,000 unwanted text messages after her mobile phone number was displayed on BBC1’s EastEnders has had her complaint upheld by media regulator Ofcom.

Lisa Edwards’s business mobile number was shown on screen for four seconds in an episode of the BBC1 soap, broadcast on 7 September last year, when Sam Mitchell returned to Albert Square from Brazil.

Submitted by admin on 30 April 2010 - 12:00am

Lacey Turner and Gillian Wright To Leave EastEnders

Two popular EastEnders stars are to leave the show.

EastEnders stars Lacey Turner and Gillian Wright are to bow out of the soap later this year, it has been announced. The actresses play popular mother and daughter duo Jean and Stacey Slater and their departure has been confirmed by the official EastEnders website.

Turner has decided to quit the show after over five years playing Stacey Slater to pursue new projects.

Submitted by admin on 29 April 2010 - 7:33am

Ricky Groves reveals painful recovery from marriage

Ricky Groves speaks about how he’s come to terms with his split from Hannah Waterman,

Former EastEnders actor Ricky Groves has revealed how he has come to terms with his split from wife Hannah Waterman and doubts he will marry again.

Groves, who also appeared on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing, said he now realised they had "grown apart" and had "put things off".

Waterman, his Albert Square co-star, walked out on the marriage in January.

Submitted by admin on 29 April 2010 - 12:00am

EastEnders to stay at Elstree Studios

BBC signs four-year deal to remain at long-running base as demands of high definition mean sets are likely to need upgrade.

BBC1’s flagship soap EastEnders is set to stay at its Hertfordshire home of 25 years, Elstree Studios.

According to sources, a deal has been signed with BBC Studios, which runs the facility at Elstree, for about four years. One insider said: "EastEnders is definitely going to stay in Elstree. A new contract has been signed."

Submitted by admin on 28 April 2010 - 8:33am

EastEnders star found scenes emotional

Preeya Kalidas spoke to the BBC this week about her final scenes in the show.

’EastEnders’ star Preeya Kalidas has said that she found filming her recent scenes "emotional".

Speaking to BBC News, the actress, who plays Amira Masood, said: "It was really emotional and really quite traumatic and really hard for us when we were doing it."

Speaking about the conclusion to the love triangle storyline between Amira, Christian and Syed, she said: "I think the audience is ready now to see some sort of conclusion to a story that’s been bubbling for a bit."

Submitted by admin on 28 April 2010 - 12:00am

Lucy Benjamin Returns To EastEnders

Former EastEnders actress is to make a one-off return to the show.

The BBC has confirmed that actress Lucy Benjamin is to reprise her role as Lisa Fowler in EastEnders for a one-off episode later in the year.

Bryan Kirkwood, Executive Producer for the show, said "Lucy’s character Lisa was responsible for one of the biggest cliffhanger episodes in EastEnders, so it’s a real treat to have her back on screen"

Submitted by admin on 27 April 2010 - 12:48pm

E20 debuts on BBC3 to 300,000+ viewers

E20 has been re-edited into three 30-minute episodes which premiered on Friday 23 April.

E20, the EastEnders web spin-off, made its TV debut on BBC3 with just over 300,000 viewers on Friday, 23 April.

E20 was first transmitted on the EastEnders website in January in 12 episodes varying in length between four and 12 minutes. The first series attracted more than 3 million views on the EastEnders website and the iPlayer and a second series has been commissioned for web transmission in September.

Submitted by admin on 27 April 2010 - 12:00am

Dark Times Ahead - says Nina

Nina Wadia speaks about the current Syed / Christian / Amira storyline.

’EastEnders’ star Nina Wadia has promised that there will be "really dark" storylines ahead for her soap family.

Speaking on ’This Morning’, the actress, who plays Zainab Masood, said of future storylines involving her married son, who is having an affair with a man.

Wadia said: "They’ve really done their research on this. It goes to a really dark place because that is what would happen - and has happened."

Submitted by admin on 26 April 2010 - 10:35am

Six to hit the road

Six characters have been axed from EastEnders, according to confirmed reports from the BBC.

Six characters are to be written out of EastEnders, in the biggest shake-up the BBC soap has seen in years.

Cabbie Charlie Slater, played by actor Derek Martin, 77, is among those leaving the soap after executive producer Bryan Kirkwood decided to update the show.

The others set to be written out or killed off are Libby Fox, played by Belinda Owusu, Minty Peterson, played by Cliff Parisi, Danny Mitchell, played by Liam Bergin, Liz Turner, played by Kate Williams, and Adam Best, played by David Proud.

Submitted by admin on 17 April 2010 - 9:49am

EastEnders bans the slaps

No more real slapping on the set of EastEnders. Has the world gone mad?

EastEnders stars have been banned from slapping each other - by BBC health and safety chiefs.

Many of the famous Albert Square blows have been done for real to boost authenticity.

But actor John Partridge, who plays gay Christian Clarke, yesterday revealed: "We want to do real slaps but health and safety won’t let us.

"It’s got to be staged."

John, 38 - also a judge on reality show Over The Rainbow - told how Preeya Kalidas, Amira Shah on the show, smacked him recently but bosses made the pair fake it for the final take.

Submitted by admin on 14 April 2010 - 8:06am